The Prophet's Visit to Taif

Abu Talib and
Khadija were the main supporters of the Prophet (SAW). It was so destined that
they passed away within a few days of each other, leaving the Prophet (SAW) to
lament the bereavement. He had lost a caring uncle and a loving wife.
The enemies
were now relieved, because Abu Talib was no more to protect. A few days after
Abu Talib's death, when the Prophet was once passing through a lane, a woman
emptied her garbage from a window upon his head. He returned home with his head
soiled. His young daughter Fatima sat beside him, consoling and washing off the
dirt.
As things
became intolerable in Mecca, the Prophet (SAW)
decided to move to Taif where he thought he would convey the message of Allah
to the tribe of Thaqeef. Taif was known for its pleasant climate and beautiful
scenery.
The Prophet
(SAW) knew very well that people at Taif were no different from Meccans. They
also worshipped idols and were in constant contact with the people in Mecca. But he did not
despair. As he entered Taif, and proclaimed his prophet hood, people jeered at
him. One said: "God did not find anyone else for His message except
you?" Another said: "I must be naive or a thief if I believed you to
be a prophet." And so it went on.
Then in order
to prevent him from preaching Islam, people of Taif set a group of children and
vagabonds behind him. They pestered him and threw stones at him. Tired,
forsaken and wounded, he sought refuge in a nearby garden. It belonged to
Atabah and Shaibab, two wealthy chiefs of Quraish. They were both there when
the Prophet entered and sat under a distant tree. He was alone. Then he raised
his face towards heaven and prayed: "O Allah! I raise unto you my
complaint for my weakness, my helplessness, and for the ridicule to which I
have been subjected. O Merciful of all the Mercifuls! You are the Master of all
oppressed people, You are my God! So to whom would You consign me? To the
strangers who would ill-treat me, or to the enemies who have an upper hand over
me? If whatever has befallen me is not because of Your wrath, then I fear not.
No doubt, the field of Your security and care is wide enough for me. I seek
refuge in Your light which illuminates darkness and straightens the affairs of
this world and hereafter, that Your displeasure and wrath may not descend upon
me. For the sake of Your pleasure, I remain pleased and resigned to my fate. No
change in this world occurs without Your Will."
Atabah and
Shaibah were watching. They sent for their servant named Adaas and gave him a
plate full of grapes. "Take this to that man under the tree," they
ordered.
Adaas was a
Christian. He brought the grapes to the Prophet (SAW) and bid him eat. As the
Prophet (SAW) picked a bunch he said: "Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahiim,"
(In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate). Adaas had
never heard this before. He was impressed by it, because the man was invoking
mercy and compassion of Allah in spite of his desolate state.
"Who are
you?" he asked.
"I am the
Prophet of God. Where do you come from?"
The servant
said: I am Adaas, a Christian. I come from Nainava."
"Nainava?
You come from a place where my brother Yunus b. Mati lived," the Prophet
said.
Adaas was
surprised to hear the name.
"What do
you know of Yunus? Here no one seems to know him. Even in Nainava there were
hardly ten people who knew his father's name."
The Prophet
said: "Yes, I know him because just like me, he was a Prophet of
God."
Adaas fell on
his knees before the Prophet, kissed his hand and embraced Islam.
Iftar
Anas Malik was one of
the companions who had served the Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.) for many years. He
therefore knew the Prophet's habits very well.
When Hadhrat Muhammed
(S.A.W.) observed a fast, he usually broke it with milk and dates, and in the
small hours of the night, he would take simple food for his sahar.
One day, Anas knew that
the Prophet (S.A.W.) was fasting; so he arranged for his iftar. He kept the
milk and dates ready. At the time of iftar the Prophet (S.A.W.) did not appear,
for the breaking of the fast. Anas thought that the Prophet (S.A.W.) might have
accepted an invitation and broken his fast elsewhere. So Anas ate the food
himself and retired.
When Prophet Muhammed
(S.A.W.) entered the house with another companion, Anas inquired from the
companion whether the Prophet (S.A.W.) had already eaten. The Prophet (S.A.W.)
had been dealing with some urgent work and was delayed, and he had not eaten.
Anas felt so ashamed.
There was nothing left he could offer to the Prophet (S.A.W.), if he asked for
food. Still he waited expectantly, ready to explain the situation to the
Prophet (S.A.W.). Hadhrat Muhammed (S.A.W.) immediately sensed that Anas was
hesitant, so he remained silent and retired to bed hungry.
Anas
used to say: "The Messenger of God never mentioned this incident during
his lifetime to anyone."